Payments and Refunds

Fees quoted are for the current year only and are payable prior to the commencement of a programme of study. Information regarding fees and funding is as accurate as possible at the time of publication, however, please be aware that changes may occur according to funding regulations. If you have any queries or concerns regarding fees, please contact us directly. Select 'Financial Support' from the menu at the bottom of the page for further information regarding financial support available.

Students will not be able to start the course unless they have:

paid in full

obtained confirmation of eligibility for fee remission from the Student Support Manager

written proof of approval of a student loan (Higher Education courses)

an authorised instalment plan

Where students are eligible for fee remission they must provide all the necessary paperwork to the Student Support Manager and have confirmation of eligibility before they start their course. Students have the option of paying their fees by instalment providing they meet the terms and conditions outlined below.

Peter Symonds College reserves the right to refuse admission to students who currently have outstanding fees from a previous academic year / enrolment.

Instalment Plans: Students may pay in up to 3 instalments where a course fee is in excess of £100 and is longer than 12 weeks. Please note that a £25 administration fee applies. Click here for further information and Terms & Conditions.

If a student thinks they may qualify for fee remission they must bring in their most recent correspondence received from the relevant authority which proves they are in receipt of one or more of the following:

Jobseekers Allowance (including the partner where the claim is joint)

Employment & Support Allowance (in the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG))

Income Support, Council Tax or Housing Benefit if unemployed and looking for work

If a student enrols more than one month prior to the start of the course they will be required to provide evidence, mentioned above, dated within one month prior to the course start date to show that they are still in receipt of the relevant benefit(s) to qualify for the fee remission.

Fee remission also applies to:

16-18 year olds full or part-time

those taking learning aims that are funded as functional skills (literacy and numeracy)

19-23 year old students studying their first full level 2 or level 3 qualification (including Access to HE) - must be 19 but not yet 24 on the start date of the course

If a student falls into any one of these groups they will receive full course fee remission on SFA funded vocational courses providing they produce the evidence within the above stated timescales.

FAQs

What happens if my tuition fee payment is late? If you become aware that a payment will be late you must contact the Business Manager at the Adult & Higher Education division to explain why this has occurred. If you are in genuine difficulty making your payment we will try to agree a plan of payment that is more manageable. If you fail to submit a payment plan, or if your planned payment method fails, you will be contacted within two weeks of the expected payment date and asked to make immediate payment by another method. If this payment method also fails you will be charged an additional administration fee. Each time your chosen method of payment fails or is declined you will be charged an additional administration fee of £25.00. If you fail to respond or you are unable to provide an acceptable payment plan, the college reserves the right to terminate your studies. The college will then put any outstanding debt in the hands of a debt collector. Any additional costs incurred will be added to your account. Students who continue to be in debt to the college at the end of the first academic year will not be permitted to register for the following year of their programme. Also, please be aware that if you remain in debt to the college you will be required to pay your balance before enrolling on any subsequent courses whether they are subsidised or full cost.

What can I do if I'm having difficulty paying my fees? If you are experiencing difficulties in paying tuition fees you should seek help at the earliest possible opportunity. Initially you should approach the Student Support Manager or a member of the Reception team. They will be able to provide general advice as well as information about any additional funding that may be available. You may also wish to speak to your tutor for support and advice. It is important to keep the college informed of the developments (see above). The college will be sympathetic and assist where it can, however in order to maintain the quality of teaching for everyone else the college must act to recover debts.